Self-playing stringed musical instrument.



Painted Feb. 2s, Ism. r. SCHNEIDER.

SELF- PLAYING STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

(Applievmon mad Jun 1, 1900.) Y

3 Sheets-Shut l.

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W/ TNE SSE S mr Noam grens co. Fumo-Lomo, wAsmNn-rcn, n. cv

No. 668,885. Patented Feb. 26, |90l.

F. SCHNEIDER. SELF PLAYING STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

W/ TNE SSE 8 I /N VE N TOI? Patented Feb.. 26, I90I.4 F. SCHNEIDER. SELF PLAYING STRINSED 'IUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRIEDRICH SCHNEIDER, OF LEIPSIC, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO OSCAR SCHMIDT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SELF-PLAYING STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,885, dated February 26, 1901.

l Application filed Tune l, 1900. Serial No. 18.708. (Ndmodel.) f

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, FRIEDRICH SCHNEIDER, a subject of the King of Saxony, and a resident of Leipsic, Saxony, Germany, have invented a new and Improved Self- Playing Stringed Musical Instrument., of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to self playing stringed musical instruments, such as banjos and the like, and in which the strings areme chanically picked and fingered for obtaining the desired pitch.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved self-playing or mechanically actuated stringed musical instrument which is simple and durable in construction and arranged to require but little power for driving the note sheet uniformly and for causing the latter to easilyand harmoniously operate the device for picking the strings and the device for iingering the strings perfectly to produce the desired music with comparatively few strings stretched over a soundingboard.

The invention consists ot'- novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speci flcation, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a plan View of theimprovement. Fig. 2 is a like view of the same with the note sheet removed and parts in section. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section of the tin gerin g device, the section being 0n the line 4 4 in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a like View of the same with the parts in a different position. Fig. 6 is an enlarged crosssection of the improvement on the line (i 6 in Fig. l, illustrating more particularly the picking device; and Fig. 7 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line 7 7 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 8 is a rear side elevation of the device for changing the position of the picker star-Wheels relatively to the strings.

On a sounding-board A are located bridges pick the strings.

B B', over which are stretched a plurality of strings C, preferably such as are used on guitars, Inandolins, banjos, or the like, and the strings are mechanically picked at or near the bridge by a picking device consisting, essentially,of picking star-wheels D,actuated directly by a set of note projections E' on a note-sheet E. The latter is mounted to turn with a post F as the center, the under side of the note-sheet resting on supportingrollers F', rollers F2 engaging the top of the sheet, so as to hold the same in proper posit-ion. The note-sheet E is either rotated by hand or by a power-actuated driving mechanism G, of any approved construction. On the note sheet E is arranged a second set of note projections E2 for actuating a fingering device located near the other bridge B' and provided with [in gering star-wheels I-I, directly engaged by the second set of note projections E2 on the note-sheet E. The fingering device serves to automatically press the strings C against frets I, rising from the soundingboard at one side of the strings, as is plainly shown in Figs. 4 and 5. When the note-sheet is rotated, it actuates the picking star-wheels and the tingering device in harmony, so that the pitch of a string is first changed, according to the tone to be produced, immediately previous to the corresponding picking star-wheel picking its particular string.

The picking star-wheels D are located over the strings and are mounted to turn on pivots D', extending radially and a diiferent distance from the post F, and the note projections E' for the several picking starwheels are arranged in concentric circles and squarely engage the top teeth of the picking-wheels to turn thelatter for the lowermost teeth to The pivots D' are held on a frame J, pivoted at J on the soundingboard A, and pressed upward by springs J2, (see Fig. 6,) said frame J being connected by a link J3 with an eccentric Jl on the end of a shaft J5, journaled in suitable bearings on the sounding-board. The outer end of the shaft J5 is provided with a handle or crankarm J, adapted to be taken hold of by the player to impart a turning motion to the shaft J5, so as to cause the eccentric J4 to swing the frame downward or upward and bring the IOO lowermost teeth of the picking star-wheels in more or less engagement with the strings to cause the picking star-wheels to pick the strings with more or less force, according to the will of the player. The handle J is pressed on by a spring JT and is free to oscillate between stops .I8 J9, attached to the side of the sounding-board A, as shown in Figs. 5 and (5. p

Norm ally the crank-arm J rests against the stop J8, the trame .I being in such position that the lowermost teeth ofi' the star-wheels pick the strings very lightly when the starwheels are turned by the note projections E'. lVhen it is desired to pick the strings with more torce, the player swings the handle JG downward to cause a downward swinging ot the tra me J, so that thelowermost teeth of the picking star-wheels engage the strings with more force when the wheels are turned by the note projections E.

The lingering device is constructed as follows: The star-wheels H are loosely and independently journaled on a rod H, held on a carrier H2, and arranged lengthwise of the strings at one side thereof. Each star-wheel H has its star H3 arranged for engagement at the side toward the strings by an arm K, being pivoted at the carrier H2 and connected with a bar L, arranged transverse of the strings and above the same, as is plainly indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. Each bar L is mounted to slide in a bearing L', attached to the sounding-board A, and each bar is provided with a depending finger-piece N for engaging the string C and pressing the same sidewise against a fret I. As shown, each string is adapted to be pressed by seven tinger-pieces against seven frets located a proper distance apart to permit ot' -chf/tnging the pitch of the string by half-tones; but I do not limit myself to this particular arrangement, as the same may be varied without deviating from the spirit of my invention.

On the outer end of each bar L presses a spring O to return the proper finger-piece N and arm K and release the string from the fret I on the next turning of the star-wheel by the following note projection. The star H3 of the star-wheel is engaged at its under side by a spring-tongue P, attached to the carrier H2, and this tongue P serves a twofold purpose-namely, first, to assist the first note projection E2 to turn the star-wheel H and its star Hs and swing the arm K to move the bar L, with its finger-piece N, and press the string against the corresponding fret I to change the pitch of the string immediately previous to the picking star-wheel picking the string, and, second, to retard the return movement of the bar L, finger-piece N, and arm K for releasing the string when the second or following note projection E2 imparts another turning movement to the star-wheel H and its star H3. When this movement takes place, the arm K swings back and the arm L slides back by the action of the spring O.

By reference to Figs. -l and 5 the two positions of the several parts mentioned are l plainly indicated, it being understood that the spring-tongue P is provided with a V-shaped end P for pressing one tooth to assist in turning the star-wheel II and for acting' against the next following tooth to retard the turning ofthe star-wheel when the latter is turned by the second note projection, as above described.

It is understood that one note projection E2 on the note-sheet serves to turn the slarwheel, so as to cause the finger-piece lo move and press the strings against the 'frets, and the next followingr note projection E2 turns the star-wheel to allow the linger-piece to release the string.

It' it were not for the spring-tongue P, the bar L, with its finger-piece, would suddenly ily back by the action of the spring and the tension of the pressed string and would cause an undesirable vibration of the string and an uneven movement of the note-string and a consequent irregular sounding of the strings by the picking device actuated by the notesheet.

It is expressly understood that the springtongue is a very important feature of my invention, as it serves to assist in moving the finger-piece and pressing the string against its fret to retard the return movement of the finger-piece, so as to prevent undue vibration ot' the string and uneven movement of the note-sheet, as above described.

The strings are damped immediately after being picked and sounded by brushes Q, extending upwardly trom the sounding-board, to normally engage the strings, so that when the string is picked by a tooth ofthe picking star-wheel the string is moved from the brush, and when the string returns by its own tension it moves in contact with the brush and is thus damped.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A self-playing musical instrument, comprising a sounding-board, strings stretched over the same, picker star-wheels, one for each string to pick the same, a fingering devicel having star-wheels, and a note-sheet having two sets of note projections, one for actuating the picker star-wheels and the other for actuating the fingering star-wheels, as set forth.

2. A self-playing musical instrument, comprising a sounding-board, strings stretched over the same, picker star-wheels, one for each string to pick the same, a fingering device having star-wheels, a note-sheet having two sets of note projections, one for actuating the picker star-wheels and the other for actuatingthe fingeringstar-wheels,and means for changing the position oi the pickel' starwheels to the strings, to pick the latter with more or less force, as set forth.

3. A lingering device having a movable IOO IIO

member for moving the finger-piece of tbe device, and a spring having means to assist in moving the said finger-piece against the string to press the latter upon the fret and to retard the finger-piece upon a release movement, as set forth.

t. A fingering device for stringed musical instruments, comprising a movable fingerpiece for pressing a string upon a fret, means for moving the finger-piece, and a spring device for assisting in moving the finger-piece to press its string upon the fret and for retarding the finger-piece upon a release movement, as set forth.v

5. A fingering device for stringed musical instruments, comprising a spring-pressed bar mounted to slide and having a finger-piece for pressing a string against a fret, a pivotarm pivotally connected with said bar, an intermittently-rotated star-wheel for imparting a swinging motion to said arm in one direction, and a spring-tongue for pressing one of said movable parts and arranged to assist in moving the finger-piece to transport the string to the fret, and to retard the return movement of the finger-piece, as set forth.

6. A fingering device for stringed musical instruments, a fret disposed at one side of a string, a spring-pressed bar mounted to slide transversely of the string, and having a finger-piece, a pivot-arm pivotally connected with the free end of said bar, and an intermittently-rotated star-Wheel for imparting a swinging motion to said arm in one direction, substantially as shown and described.

7. A fingering device for stringed musical instruments, a fret disposed at one side of a string, a spring-pressed bar mounted to slide transversely of the string, and having a nger-piece, a pivot-arm pivotally connected with the free end of said bar, an intermittently rotated star- Wheel for imparting a swinging motion to said arm in one direction, and a spring-tongue for pressing said star- Wheel, for assisting in moving the finger-piece and transporting the string to a fret, and for retarding the return movement of the fingerpiece, as set forth.

8. A self-playing stringed musical instrument, comprising a sounding-board, strings stretched over the same, apicking device for picking said strings, and a fingering device for fingering the strings, and comprising spring-pressed oars movable transversely of the strings, finger-pieces on said bars, for pressing the strings against the frets, frets arranged at the sides of the strings, pivotarms pivotally connected with said bars, and star-wheels for actuating said arms, as set forth.

9. A self-playing stringed musical instrument, comprising a sounding-board, strings stretched over the same, a picking device for picking said strings, a fingering device for fingering the strings, and comprising springpressed bars movable transversely of the strings, finger-pieces on said bars, for pressing the strings against the frets, frets arranged at the sides of the strings, pivot-arms pivotally connected with said bars, starwheels for actuating said arms, and springtongues engaging said star-wheels, to assist in moving the finger-pieces and transport the strings to their frets, and to retard the return movement of the finger-pieces, as set forth.

10. A self-playing stringed musical instrument having upright frets, and means for pressing the strings sidewise against the frets, as set forth.

ll. A self-playing stringed musical instrument having a body over which the strings are stretched, and a set of frets for each string and extending upward from the body to one side of the string, as set forth.

12. A self-playing stringed musical instrument having a body over which the strings are stretched, a set of frets for each string and extending upward from the body to one side of the string, and finger-pieces arranged to move transverse of the strings to press the same transversely against the strings, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRIEDRICH SCHNEIDER.

Witnesses:

SIEGMUND WEISS, JOHN LAVY. 

